The Industrial Revolution was a time where America changed from a rural into a more urban modern society. Mark describes the Gilded Age as a period where the economy and technology transformed into a modern industrial society and the Industrial Revolution does just that.
When this revolution started, there was a growth in trade, factories, steam engines, and several more advanced transportation caused by a booming manufacturing system occurring in America. The quality of life increased as technology increased during that time. Transportation, including boats and ships, were used to carry goods as global trading increased. Technology overseas has helped America economically because there was more trade going around globally and we started to gain more profit as more ships traveled around the world.
Because of America changing from a rural to an industrial area, there was a huge population shift that affected the social and cultural aspects of America. The industrial workforce expanded quickly into more cities. As the number of factories grew, so did the number of people working in these factories. The conditions of the workplace started to change and this is where the period began to convert to a corrupted country. Workers were paid lower incomes than what was considered needed for a decent level of comfort. Wages were cut in hard times, workdays and weeks were long, factories were unsafe, and unemployment sometimes increased depending on4 the season and technical advances. While the middle class was living in comfort, factory workers experienced harsh conditions that helped lead America into an economic and political crisis.
After the civil war occurred, America transitioned quickly into an industrial nation. New technologies were formed and new supplies to advance labor systems allowed rapid growth to build railroads. But overall, this era brought progress and pain to America. Many workers struggled to get by in harsh conditions and there were several examples of how there was corruption underneath all of the building and becoming a better nation with booming systems. Immigration helped provide more workers with a growing new economy. But regardless of the negative or positive aspects, this era is related to the gilded age because of how the culture and the economy changed during this revolution.
